summer

Hot Dogs! Get Your Hot Dogs!
Few kids can resist a hot dog! Piping hot, tasty, and smeared with mustard or ketchup, they are the original to-go food. And yet, hot dogs have a bad rap. But nowadays more healthful franks are available in every supermarket. Try chicken or turkey hot dogs instead of pork or beef franks. These wieners are lower in fat and calories, and they taste and look like traditional hot dogs.

Easy Weekend Entertaining

Weekends, especially the relaxed ones of summer, are perfect for entertaining friends and family members. A little planning makes them easy.

How To Can Tomatoes

To can tomatoes, all you need is time, a large, deep pot, clean canning jars, new lids for the jars, and screwtop rings for the jars. You can reuse the jars and rings as long as they are not damaged. You cannot reuse the lids. Oh yes. You also need tomatoes.

Window Boxes for Color and Joy

Window boxes are particularly welcoming and brighten up anyone's house.

Tips for Buying an Inground Pool
An inground pool is a major investment and so before you dive into the project, do your research.

Homemade Ice Cream, an Old-Time Treat
It's the time of year to haul out the ice cream machine and churn a batch of cold, sweet, creamy ice cream. Not only is the finished product delicious, but the entire experience is one everyone enjoys. The afternoon turns into a party, with the culminating moment when the ice cream is churned.

Make a Summer Scrapbook
Document summertime fun in a homemade scrapbook. Kids love to make the books and to paste mementos in them as the warm, fun-filled days progress. These scrapbooks are great for postcards, ticket stubs, tourist brochures, camp photos, and other items th

S'Mores: Summer at Its Best

A mainstay of campouts, s'mores are an easy -- not to mention indescribably delicious -- ending to any outdoor meal. There are only three ingredients, and all are easy to pack and carry. Put them together: instant magic!

Help Kids Eat Right, Even at Summer Camp!
You can't control what your child eats at camp, but if you send him off with good eating habits and a few gentle reminders, he will do fine

Brew Perfect Iced Tea
Iced tea is a national favorite during the hot summer months. Americans love it so much that commercially brewed and branded iced teas appear on market and specialty food shelves in glorious profusion.

Spruce Up Your Deck or Patio

Whether you are planning a formal or casual evening, outdoor entertaining is especially enjoyable at this time of year. Before you plan the party, take a look at your deck or patio -- could it use some sprucing up?

7 Ways to Choose a Summer Camp
Common wisdom dictates that you and your child choose a summer camp early. If you have not already done so, now is the time to sign up.

5 Ways to Grill a Perfect Steak

Really fine steak needs nothing more than a sprinkling of salt and pepper before it's grilled. Less expensive cuts benefit from marinating. Either way, steak grilled to charred perfection on the outside and juicy pink on the inside is a summertime treat.

How to Grill a Juicy Burger
Every summer, millions of Americans enjoy grilled hamburgers with all the fixins'. We should be experts at cooking them, but too often they are dry and tough. Why? Here's how to grill a juicy burger.

Make a Sand Castle Kit for the Beach!
With a few simple household items, you're ready for a weekend at the beach building sand castles and other marvels in all shapes and sizes.

Summer Seafood

There's something about summertime's balmy weather that makes it just right for chilled seafood salads. The cool, refreshing, slightly sweet, slightly salty flavor of shrimp, scallops, lobster, salmon, and crabmeat are hard to beat.

Beer Here
There are times when only a frosty beer will do. Crack one open after a tough day, or on a sweltering midsummer afternoon at the beach, or on a night curled up on the couch watching football; beer is the just-right beverage for all kinds of occasions. Here’s a brief guide to some of the varieties of beer that are available today.

7 Ways to Make the Most of the Farmer’s Market
Whether you are a veteran of farmer’s market or a novice, we have seven tips that will make the experience even more enjoyable than it already is.

You Say Tomato!
Can a tomato lover ever have too much of this good thing? Most would answer "No!"

A Mid-Summer's Eve Soiree

The term "soiree" conjures up the notion of something secret, magical, and special. Your party may not be secret, but it surely can be magical and special. Invite a group of good friends and plan to enjoy a balmy summer evening together under the brilliant night sky.

In the Weeds
Your weed may be your neighbor’s idea of a wild flower, but in short, a weed is a plant that is unplanned for the garden, that grows vigorously and can choke other plants.

Dive into the Deep Freeze
If your freezer is stocked with a stash of frozen treats, why wait for the jingle-jangle of the ice cream truck when the temperature soars?

Beautiful Blueberries
Gorgeous silver-blue on the outside and purple, juicy and sweet-tart on the inside, blueberries are native to North America but now are grown throughout the world. In England, they’re called bilberries, and in Scotland, they’re blaeberries. They’re related to huckleberries and cranberries, and are high in antioxidants that can help prevent heart disease and stroke and high in potassium, as well.

Corny Stuff
Everyone knows that corn and tomatoes are two of summer's culinary treasures--at least if you live in a temperate climate where neither is the least bit tempting other times of year.

Campfire Stew
It seems that food always tastes better when it is cooked in the great outdoors, and this is never truer than when you and the kids are camping.

Lazy Afternoon Picnic

Is the warm sunshine calling you outdoors? Would your kids have fun on a picnic? Of course! Enlist the family's advice when deciding where to go for the outdoor meal-- and then ask them to help with the preparations.

Talk to Your Kids about Pool Safety
It's always a good idea to talk to your kids about pool safety. Here are some surefire ways to insure the information sinks in!

Backyard Water Play

A hose and a backyard equals happy kids!

Pitch a Tent in the Backyard!
You don't have to leave home to give the kids a taste of the outdoors. Pitch a tent in the backyard and enjoy a relaxed, family-filled evening.

Food Safety for Summer Entertaining

When the weather is warm, dining outside is just about irresistible. Whether you picnic in the park or at the beach, or fire up the grill in your own backyard, there’s something about a meal taken in the fresh air that makes everything more delicious and more fun. To keep it fun, observe food safety precautions.

Summer Seafood

An Unplugged Summer
Even if you have never considered doing so, or have fleetingly entertained the idea, take the plunge: Unplug for the summer. It's easier than you might think.

Summer Fun Sandwiches

Summer time is sandwich time. Kids can make their own, particularly if the fixins' are in the refrigerator ready and waiting to be inserted between two slices of bread. Sandwiches don't have to be ho-hum! Use soft bread for kids' sandwiches and cut them with cookie cutters to make fun shapes. The soft bread is easy to press and cut.

Summer Break for Mom

Many mothers arrange their work schedules so that they can be home with their children when school is not in session. This often means living without a paycheck for these months.

Protect Your Baby from the Sun

With warm, sunny days comes the threat of sunburn. No one is more susceptible to the sun’s burning rays than your baby. His skin is extra sensitive and so you must take care that he is safe.

Pool Safety First
As wonderful as pools are, it's crucial that parents keep in mind that drowning is one of the leading causes of death for children under two years of age and for adolescents. But there is a lot you can do to safeguard against this.

Structuring Your Child's Summer
Parents know that summer is a magical time for youngsters, but to insure your children experience that magic requires planning. Some structure is good. Too much is counterproductive and may result in stressed kids, rather than refreshed kids we all expect at August's end.

Time for a Picnic!

Everyone loves a picnic and summertime is the ideal time for enjoying them. Get your summer off to a good start with a spectacular outdoor feast!

Off to Sleep-Away Camp!
First-time or more seasoned campers usually like some reassurance before they head off for sleep-away camp. Encourage them to help with the planning and packing and talk happily about the camp experience.

The Sweet Music of Wind Chimes
Making your own wind chimes is a relaxing warm weather project sure to appeal to kids.

Helping Your Teen Find a Summer Job

By the time children reach middle and high school, they usually are ready for a summer job. This could be a paying or volunteer job -- either way, the experience will contribute to a teen's overall education as certainly as European history, geometry, English, or physics.

Don't Forget to Say Thank You!
It's always a good idea to encourage the kids to send notes thanking others for presents and good times. Turn the task of writing thank you notes into a craft project. It's a good way to insure the notes get written -- and it's fun for everyone.

End of Summer Beach Picnic
In many regions of the country, September has glorious, warm weather. Take advantage of these days with a weekend picnic at the beach or in the park. It's a lovely way to stretch the summer, as well as a way to enjoy your friends and family. This mea

Summer is a Good Time for Books
Whether your children are assigned summer reading books by their schools or decide to explore some titles on their own, the long, lazy days of summer offer great opportunities to indulge in this lifelong pleasure.

Calling All Campers!

Mail call! If your child is at sleep-away camp, this is an important time of day. Camp may be the only time your kids give “snail mail” a second thought, but for these few summer weeks, the U.S. Postal Service plays a significant role in the lives of many children.

Easy Weekend Entertaining

Weekends, especially the relaxed ones of summer, are perfect for entertaining friends and family members. A little planning makes them easy.

Take the Kids to the Zoo
A terrific destination that both kids and adults always enjoy is the zoo. Besides having a terrific time, your kids will learn about animals and their habitats. And so will you!

Raspberries: Summer's Jewels
Say “raspberry” and the word alone can make your mouth water. Wild and cultivated throughout the Northern Hemisphere and parts of the Southern Hemisphere, this luscious sweet-tart fruit is a member of the same botanical family as the blackberry, and like the blackberry, is composed of tiny juice sacs called druplets.

Tips for Grilling Fish
One theory behind the term "barbecue" is that the word derives from the Spanish barbacoa , which was the term the Spanish explorers gave to the food they found locals grilling on wooden racks above fires on island beaches. More often than not, this

A Casual Summer Party
There is no better time for casual entertaining than now. Lazy summer weekends are great times to get together with good friends to enjoy seasonal bounty.

Lazy Afternoon Picnic

Food Safety for Summer Entertaining

Summer Break for Mom

Many mothers arrange their work schedules so that they can be home with their children when school is not in session. This often means living without a paycheck for these months.

How To Can Tomatoes

A Summer Buffet
When contemplating a summer party, think easy. If you serve a meal that can made ahead of time and served as a room-temperature buffet, you will only have to arrange the food on platters once the party begins. What could be better? The great thing a

Time for a Picnic!

Everyone loves a picnic and summertime is the ideal time for enjoying them. Get your summer off to a good start with a spectacular outdoor feast!

A Mid-Summer's Eve Soiree

7 Ways to Make the Most of the Farmer’s Market
Whether you are a veteran of farmer’s market or a novice, we have seven tips that will make the experience even more enjoyable than it already is.

Say Farewell to Summer!
Everyone's home from summer vacations, school year routines are established and the fall holiday season is still months away. The sun still shines, the farmers' markets burst with great looking vegetables and fruit, and gardens are still lovely. Is summe

Backyard Gourmet

In the mood for a party? How about throwing a bash under the summer stars or, if you would rather, the summer sun? Once you choose a menu, transform your patio or deck into an elegant showcase for upscale grilling.

Pool Time!
Backyard pools, filled with sparkling aqua water, entice children and adults alike during hot summer days and evenings. Splashing in them in provides hours of family fun as it cools everyone down. The pool also is the focal point for easy summer entertaining and family cookouts.

Easy Weekend Entertaining

Weekends, especially the relaxed ones of summer, are perfect for entertaining friends and family members. A little planning makes them easy.

Spice Up Your Grill.
Just about any food tastes good when grilled, and skewering food makes it easier than ever to cook it over an open fire. Learn the tricks of successful kebobs.

7 Ways to Make the Most of the Farmer’s Market
Whether you are a veteran of farmer’s market or a novice, we have seven tips that will make the experience even more enjoyable than it already is.

Lazy Afternoon Picnic